His Neck Was Broken

Daniel W. Amsden, the wood yard man, whose place of business is on Hurón Street next to the Engine House, met with a fatal accident Tuesday afternoon about four o'clock in the saloon of Millman & McNally on North Main street. He was wrestling or scuffling with Andrew Schiappicassee, a son of Tony Schiappicasse. There seems to have béen no ill will existing, and the bystanders claim that Amsden was perfectly sober at the time. In the scuffle, both feil over a chair, Amsden being the under man. Amsden struck his head on a window sill and feil to the floor. It was seen that he was hurt. He was picked up, but died within five minutes, without having spoken a word. Some years ago, he was a patrolman in this city. He was between fortythree and forty-four years of age. Coroner Clark held the inquest, Wednesday morning. The jurors were Henry C. Wilmot, William Saunders, Moses Seabolt, W. A. Clark, A. V. Robinson and W. H. Bowen. Andrew Schiappicassee with whom Amsden was scuffling testified that he was in Millman's saloon about 3 o'clock Tuesday afternoon and had a little scuffle in fun with Daniel Amsden, who was sober at the time. "He threw me down at first. I got up and clinched him and then we both feil over a chair. I think he struck his head on the corner of the window sill. I found that he was hurt and lifted him up. He lived about five minutes. This happened five or ten minutes before four o'clock." C. G. Millman testified to the scuffle in his saloon. Amsden was in the habit of having friendly scuffles with the boys. The scuffle took place shortly after four. Amsden was sober at the time. He feil with Schiappicassee on top, and struck his he.ad against the window sill. I think that broke his neck. He had complained to me of heart disease. William McLachlinsaw the scuffle. Amsden feil over the chair at the corner of the window sill and lived about three minutes after he feil. He did not speak. He was sober. The witness at the time did not think Amsden's neck was broken. Chas. Fox described the scuffle. Amsden got Schiappicassee on his knees. Schiappicassee raised up and caught him around the waist. Amsden threw his arm around Schiappicassee and both feil over a chair. Amsden's head struck in the corner of the room. I think he wilted before he feil. He lived about five minutes. Dr. John Kapp, who made the post-mortem examination, found congestión of the lungs, enlargement of the liver and fatty degeneration of the heart, also an organic disease of the heart. There was an injury to the spinal column at the neck at a point between the third and fourth vertabrae. Neck was broken by some force. It may have been due in part to violent exercise or exertion causing cessation of heart action. The jury found "that D. W. Amsden came to his death at No. 33 North Main Street, city of Ann Arbor, by a fall in a friendly scuffle, breakinghisneck,about4:o5o'clock, p. m., January 13, 1891."